ECM Model

So in the previous post we talked about ECM and created some definitions. In this post I would like to address a pictorial view of ECM within a model that I use to describe ECM and the various relationship components.

As you will see in the diagram the outer box is the domain of Business Strategy and Operating Plans. Here is where the organisation has a reason for being and will have outcomes that it is trying to achieve.

Within the box from the top is the People, Process and Technology component. Note the direction of the arrows in the diagram they are important. This show us that People interact with Process and that the role of technology is to support the process that the people are interacting with. This vertical view is broadly the organisation in three boxes.

Next we look at content and the "flow" of this through the organisation. Note that are are three phases of the content, Manage, Process and Deliver. Note the arrows again. You cannot deliver the content unless it has first been managed and processed. You cannot process the content unless it has been managed. Again we see that technology support the flow of the content and that people at the top are the ones that interact and make it all work.

We can draw some basic assumptions from this model.

• People at the top are the most important.
• For any ECM deliver technology is only one-third of the overall solution.
• Any ECM solution delivery should be top down driven, starting with people first
• For any enterprise approach process is in the heart of the solution